There’s certainly no shortage of Thai restaurants in Perth. And it’s no wonder. For most people, Thai cuisine is the first thing that pops to mind the mood calls for something fast, cheap and tasty.

The owners of Nahm Thai are dedicated to showing Perth a different side to Thai cuisine – one that’s refined, contemporary and thrillingly innovative. And it must be doing something right. The West Australian Good Food Guide 2012 awarded Nahm Thai the coveted two-star status, the highest honour bestowed this year on only 5 Perth restaurants.

The menu created by chef Kevin Pham is a collection of reinvented classics and unique creations, all of which display the chef’s genius. A stand-out entrée is the Galloping Horses – minced pork, caramelised duck and dried shrimp heaped upon fresh slices of pineapple and mandarin. Its balance of sweet, salty and sour, along with the gorgeous juxtaposition of textures explains why it’s so popular. Nahm Thai’s signature dish, however, is the Red Duck Curry: a thick, creamy red curry with crispy slices of duck, hardboiled quail eggs and sweet lychees. A dynamite dish.

The décor complements the food perfectly, being minimal and classy. It’s refreshingly devoid of typical decorating clichés of Thai restaurants – think buddhas and lotus flowers – and is instead simple and understated. White table clothes are adorned with single candles. Wooden screens and sheer curtains make for elegant partitions.

Lucky for us, Nahm Thai has just recently expanded into the next-door premises. Having just been granted their liquor licence, Nahm Thai plans to transform the space into a cocktail bar serving Thai-style tapas. The doors will open this autumn. If Nahm Thai uses the same innovative passion in its creation of cocktails that it does food, we can expect the bar to be raised a few notches.